About

HISTORY

The Electronic Records Committee was established in 2012 to provide resources for institutions managing congressional electronic records within their repository.

In 2009, the Congressional Papers Section (CPS) conducted a survey of the membership in response to growing questions about how to manage electronic records found in congressional collections. As a result of the survey, The CPS Steering Committee appointed an Electronic Records Task Force was appointed to create and publicize resources for institutions managing congressional electronic records within their repository. Members of the Task Force included Abby Griner Adams, Chrystal Carpenter, Ted Clark, Benjamin Goldman, Leigh McWhite (co-chair), Betsy Pittman (co-chair) and Mark Wolfe.

In 2011, the Task Force requested to be dissolved, but asked that the Steering Committee consider plans for updating resources to aid congressional archivists working with electronic records. In 2012, the Steering Committee formed the Electronic Records Committee to continue this work.

MEMBERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Electronic Records Committee is composed of the vice chair of the Section, who serves as the co-chair of the committee, two or more members appointed by the Steering Committee, and an ex officio member designated from the Center for Legislative Archives at the National Archives and Records Administration. The members of the Electronic Records Committee will also select a co-chair for the committee by majority vote. The co-chair shall have served at least two years of an appointed term on the Electronic Records Committee. Terms for appointed members are encouraged to range from not less than two years to not more than three years. The Electronic Records Committee is responsible for conducting an annual review of all resources posted on the CPS website related to electronic records management in congressional collections, making updates and revisions when necessary. The committee may also create new resources on the subject when advisable. (Society of American Archivists Congressional Papers Section Standing Rules, July 2018)